I first met Katie at a bridal show last winter. We had a booth near the entrance and while all the brides waited in line to come in, there was one who was head and shoulders above all of them – literally! Katie is well over 6 feet tall and smiles a lot so it was easy to spot her. I remember pointing her out to Andrew and telling him to make sure we got a chance to speak with her if she came by so I was glad it worked out!
When we finally got a chance to talk, I knew I had to photograph her wedding. She was beautiful, never stopped smiling and was so easy-going and fun so you knew her wedding was going to be great!
I’m not a short guy but being around Katie and Alex (who is 6’9″) gives you a bit of a complex by the end of the day! People were joking that colleges have already offered their future children full-ride basketball scholarships! (at least I think they were joking)
We started off the day with Katie and Alex getting ready at the Hotel Monaco in Alexandria. Hanging out with Katie’s bridesmaids, mom and future mother-in-law was a blast. They were hilarious and really laid-back. Katie’s dress was absolutely stunning and I loved her purple shoes.
From there, it was off to Washington for their ceremony at St. Aloysius where Alex went to school (Gonzaga). St. Aloysius is a beautiful church and some of my all-time favorite brides and grooms have been married there so it always has such a good vibe for me.
After the ceremony, we went to Upper Senate Park near the US Capitol and Union Station for group portraits with the bridal party. I want to thank the guys again for not completely dying in the heat (sorry guys!). I absolutely love the photo of everyone at the end of the reflecting pool with the Capitol in the background.
The reception was held at River Farm in Alexandria which is such a beautiful property. Luckily the rain held off until after cocktail hour in the gardens. One of Katie and Alex’s friends made them a custom wedding Cornhole game which people could play during cocktail hour. I’m surprised this is the first time I have seen anyone do this! It made for great photos.
Unfortunately, Katie’s brother was deployed with the Navy so he wasn’t able to be there for the wedding. We got a fun photograph to send to him where Alex was letting his picture enjoy a beer at their wedding.
Even though it rained for much of the evening, the party never seemed to mind.
I was lucky to have Michelle Lindsay of Michelle Lindsay Photography along to shoot with me for the day. Michelle is a great friend and even greater photographer and we decided a while back to 2nd shoot for each other once this year which is awesome for us and probably even better for our brides and grooms! Can’t wait to shoot with her in October!
Wedding 411:
Ceremony: St. Aloysius | Father Cedric Wilson | 202.336.7200
Reception: River Farm | 703.768.5700
Florist: Twinbrook Floral Design | Karen Promisell | 703.978.0771
Catering: RSVP Catering | Elizabeth Shotwell | 703.573.8700
Photography: Connor Studios | Michael Connor + Michelle Lindsay | 202.527.9768
